Turk's Turban

Other common names: Sleepy Mallow, Wax Mallow, Mexican Turk's Cap, 小悬铃花

Turk’s turbans are large, hardy, free-flowering shrubs that are commonly seen in roadside gardens, perimeter planting and biodiversity-attracting gardens. The nectar-filled flowers are highly attractive to nectivorous birds.

As large and woody perennial bush, this plant is a staple in perimeter planting, biodiversity-attracting gardens, and low-maintenance beds.

This plant is part of the Malvaceae or hibiscus family, which includes other plants like lady's finger and cranberry hibiscus.

Sun and soil needs:

This plant does best in full sun gardens with a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight.

Plants do best in pots with loamy soil at least 30cm deep, or in true ground. These plants are vulnerable to root rot, so ensure that your pots drain well, and that your soil has plenty of organic matter to let the roots breathe.

Growing:

Turk’s turbans are rapid growers but do benefit from being fed high potassium and phosphorus fertilisers to encourage flowering. This shrub can grow up to 1m in height and will need to be pruned regularly. Regular pruning will keep the plant healthy and neat and encourage a bushier growth.

Propagation:

Turk’s turbans are usually propagated via woody cuttings with rooting hormone.

Common problems & solutions:

This plant is relatively resistant to pests and disease if kept healthy.

If your plant has few to no flowers, you can fertilise the plant with fertilisers high in phosphorus and potassium. These nutrients encourage root and flower growth.

Aphids, mealy bugs, and scale insects often infest the plant if it has underlying problems like repeated wilting from heat stress. Mechanical pest control methods like pruning the infested parts are the best methods for managing these pests in the short term, but resolving the underlying problem will prevent them in the long term.